NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 13: Dormant
The next two days passed in a whirlwind of research, whispered conversations between herself, Caspian, and Chancellor Kaylan, and an increasingly impressive performance as Caspian's lover. Madame Faylan arrived promptly on the morning of the second day with a team of fifteen seamstresses to deliver the new dresses to a wide-eyed Elara. The stunning displays of silks and velvets, of delicately embroidered patterns and intricate designs, were stunning to put it very, very lightly. Her favorite was the one Madame Faylan had designed specifically for the first day of the Hunt; it had stars embroidered on the wide, billowing sleeves, and they shimmered when they caught the faintest of lights. Each dress was a masterpiece, perfectly fit for the woman introducing herself as the Grand Duke's lover.
That same afternoon, the shoemaker came, bringing with him exquisite pairs of heels and boots--fine leather dyed in rich shades, inlaid with gems that sparkled with every step. Elara had never even seen shoes so beautiful, never mind wearing something of such quality. She felt immediate guilt upon looking at all the expensive things she'd bought but Crisseda--who Caspian had relieved of her normal maid duties so that she could look solely after Elara--chided her that she should not.
"You're representing the Grand Duke, miss," said the maid that night as she combed through Elara's curls. "You may one day--no, one day you will be Grand Duchess. We all know so. It's clear from the way his Grace looks at you that he will propose officially any day now and have you as his wife, so you cannot appear anything less than splendid. It will reflect poorly on his Grace. And I must say, with all these choices you will look splendid, indeed."
Elara couldn't deny that. The woman who had caught the cold Grand Duke's eye had to show off such authority, especially since she was supposed to convince the shrewd Lyanna Orinthal that they were really an item, but she couldn't help it. She'd grown up middle class--comfortable enough, but there were some months when her family really had to scrape to get by. As an adult, she lived a mostly comfortable life, but again, there were months when she had to pinch pennies, especially when her landlord liked to increase the price of rent with every change of the wind.
In the moments when she wasn't wallowing over spending such insane amounts of money, she was in the library, poring over books in search of more inconsistencies. There were no more large discrepancies that she could find. Not in the pages of these books at least. The biggest changes all had to do with the magic system in this world and how little it was described in the books. Despite the lack of difference in other things, her stomach still twisted.
In one particular tome regarding magic and its uses, a passage caught her eye: The power of an Otherworlder is deemed by this council to lie dormant until awakened by a True Calling--a moment when their purpose for coming to this world is made clear.
That had given her some pause. She had stared at the thick book in her lap, tracing her hands over the ink. She had thought of it ever since she remembered the plot point about Otherworlders, but did she possess magical powers?
When she looked down at her hands, she didn't feel anything. As a matter of fact, all she really felt was a ball of nerves at the thought of meeting the female lead and starting The Day of Eternal Night's main storyline.
As quickly as she thought it, she tucked that thought away. She wasn't the same as the others. She had been brought here directly by a character from the novel, not by some accident or gods-given intervention or whatever odd circumstance brought Otherworlders to this world. She probably had no power to speak of. Still, she knew she couldn't just completely rule out the possibility.
She considered asking Caspian to take her to one of Lunara's temples where people of this world often went to have their magical ability assessed, but she immediately shot that idea down. Caspian had paid off the priests that had brought her to this world, but the reason he was so sure of their silence was because he'd helped their families. She'd learned that during one of her talks in Caspian's office where she, the Grand Duke, and the chancellor met to discuss how things would go during the week-long ride to the capital. However, other priests might not share that loyalty, and if they assessed her and she turned out to possess the unique magical signatures of an Otherworlder, well, it wouldn't be long before the king and queen got wind of that, and if they did, Lyanna might change her plans and act in ways Elara couldn't predict.
Sure, Caspian already said he was going to introduce her as an Otherworlder, and the king and queen probably already knew about it, but at the moment, they might assume that Caspian was lying about her origins and were waiting to meet her in the capital, so they could dig into her properly.
So her only option was to wait and see.
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On the day of their departure, Elara woke at dawn. The excitement of getting out of the castle and the anxiety of approaching the female lead coursed through her veins so violently that she'd hardly slept. The castle was alive with the sounds of preparation--the clatter of hooves in the courtyard, the shouts of stable boys, and the rustling of fabric as servants hurried to pack the final trunks. The sky was a pale, sleepy blue, the first light of day breaking through a thin veil of clouds.
Crisseda arrived to help her dress--this one was a deep, wine red with gold embellishings. The maid's hands were quick but effective; her deft fingers laced up the bodice with ease. Elara had grown pretty fond of Crisseda in the last few days. Something about the woman's presence was incredibly comforting in this sea of strangers she'd suddenly found herself thrust into. Crisseda was calm and no-nonsense, but she was kind and always ready to help if asked. Elara had been grateful when Caspian granted her request to assign Crisseda as her personal maid for the rest of her time in this world.
Still, she asked, "Are you sure you're okay with coming with us? It's going to be a long trip and everyone there will know you're my personal maid." In the novel, it was common for maids to be bullied when their lord or ladies couldn't be.
But Crisseda's lips curved into a smile, the same way they had done when Elara had first asked her this question. "I'm not easily overwhelmed, miss. You'll find that none of us here in Chirondale castle are the type to get overwhelmed easily. It's why we were hired. And as for the long trip, well, I could use the vacation. I've never seen the capital before. I lived in Creekwood Bog just a whole two-week's ride from the capital before I moved to Chirondale when his Grace cleared it of monsters, so this will be a long cherished dream come true for me."
Elara returned her smile. "If you're sure, then I'm happy to have you."
"Thank you, miss."
By the time she'd made her way down to the courtyard, the first sun had fully risen, casting a golden glow over the assembled group. A procession of fifty knights, twenty maids, five coachmen, and Caspian and Chancellor Kyran standing in the center speaking with Orland met her. Caspian looked every bit the commanding figure in his traveling cloak and light armor.
He caught sight of her at once, and his eyes softened. She'd thought this often over the last few days, but he truly was good at this acting thing. If being a Grand Duke didn't work out, the acting troupes of this world would welcome him with open arms.
"You look ready," he observed.
"I am," Elara replied, looking down at herself. She had the little book Caspian had given her with all the information she remembered from the novel clutched tightly in her hand. "I think."
Caspian's lips quirked into a small smile. "I'll be riding horseback, but this carriage is for you." He tilted his head over to the magical carriage. There was a seat at the front of the carriage and Crisseda was already climbing onto it with help from a coachman. "This will be a harrowing week, but we'll try to make your journey as comfortable as possible."
He held out his hand, and she took it without hesitation, smiling even though waves of nerves fluttered in her stomach. He led her to the carriage and helped her inside, closing the door securely behind her once she was settled.